Pregnancy Update: 22-27 Weeks

The past month I have been fortunate to spend the most comfortable part of my pregnancy with my family. My sister and 3 of my aunts came into town and I went to Disney World! My sister's son is 4 years old and I wanted to be with him for his first Disney experience. While the park wasn't as crazy busy as I have ever seen it, it was still a bit to crowded for my comfort. It was around 85 degrees out, but luckily I was able to find a nice shady spot to rest in while my family went on most of the rides. I was pushed in a wheel chair to keep my blood pressure normal (not that I have any blood pressure issues) but Florida is known to bless many with heat strokes! I was able to go on most of the rides too! All rides are actually wheel chair friendly and when you reach the end of line I was able to hop out of my chair and onto the ride. The rides I was able to go on were Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Light-year, Haunted Mansion, The new Little Mermaid, Small World, and I could have gone on Pirates of the Caribbean if it weren't broken :( I was fine the day at the park, but the next day I was super exhausted and it took about 3 days of sleep to feel back to normal again. 

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Fainting While Pregnant: Vasovagol Syncope

(Info From Mayo Clinic)

Beware! Hemorrhoids aren't your only bathroom fear in pregnancy! Did you know that when you are pregnant you are at a higher risk of fainting while on the toilet? Well, I can attest. Apparently all that pressure in your abdomen is pushing on that same nerve that causes you to pass out when you're scared or see blood and guts! It's called Vasovagal Syncope and it can be quite dangerous if you don't know what is happening to you.

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Pregnancy Update 19-22 Weeks

19-20 Weeks: 

I immediately stopped taking Zantac after realizing it was causing my insomnia, but unfortunately it was too late. I had brought myself into such a sleep deprived state that the next morning I experienced a Vagus Vagal nerve episode. My nerves were such a mess. I will have a separate post explaining what this is and my experience. It is very common and the risks of it are concussion or falling on your stomach. Basically when pressure is applied to this nerve it causes you to lose all muscle function. It felt like I was fainting, but I was fully conscious throughout the whole episode. I had been lying in bed that night and hadn't slept a wink. My legs were going nuts and I couldn't settle them. I got out of bed and immediately felt like I was going to vomit. I had cold sweats and felt weak in the knees, but of course I had to pee SO BAD I thought it was more important to pee than lay down. I sat on the toilet and relieved myself all the while the puking feeling turned into "I'm going to pass out" feeling so I yelled for my husband as loud as my lungs would let me. I knew I needed to get on the floor so I didn't hurt myself so I fell forward off the toilet onto my hands and that when I lost all muscle control. I heard, saw, and felt everything going on around me though. My husband flew out of bed, but he got so scared all he could do was ask if I was okay over and over again. The episode was quick and after about 30 seconds I was able to move my head up and down and signal that I was alive. It took about 15 minutes for me to get the strength to get up. I was admitted to the ER, but the doctor said I was absolutely fine and that he sees this all the time. I was given a bag of fluids and sent home.

I was supposed to have my gender scan this day, but we had to cancel and wait a whole week before we found out. Good news, I received my Hypnobabies birthing program in the mail and started to first of 5 lessons. I already LOVE it. It is so relaxing! I will make a full review once I've used it for labor and delivery.

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Pregnancy Update 13-18 Weeks

Info from NIH

13-16 Weeks: 

With Zantac on my side I was finally enjoying my pregnancy. I wasn't showing enough for strangers to tell, but my husband and I could definitely see my pooch! I was sleeping wonderfully, my house was clean again for the first time in months, and I was able to clean out the spare room to make room for baby. I had so much energy and felt like a normal person again. I also got to feel my baby move for the first time at 13 weeks! A lot of women don't believe me because it's my first pregnancy, but it wasn't poop or a fart. I felt baby scrape their arm or leg across the wall of my stomach to the left of my belly button. I know it was my baby because for the next month this is where I felt movement every time. It was also the place where baby's heart was heard with the fetal Doppler. My Doctor says it is totally normal and expected to feel baby that early especially because I'm skinny and very in tune with my body. From the first moment I felt her move she hasn't stopped! She kicks and twists and turns all day! It sort of feels like my uterus is twitching, but some movements feel like she is trying to swim her way out and is scraping along my stomach. It doesn't hurt at all... yet. I've finished reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding from the La Leche League International. I am SO HAPPY I've read this book. It has a more natural approach to breastfeeding than the typical "pregnancy books" everyone tells you to read. It goes over every topic you could think of concerning breastfeeding. I really recommend you read it if you are thinking of breastfeeding. It eliminates any fears or apprehensions you have towards breastfeeding and boosts your confidence in your ability to feed your baby the way nature intended. I will be sure to make a review of this book once baby comes and we are well established at breastfeeding.

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Pregnancy Update 0-12 Weeks

5-6 Weeks: 

My only symptoms at this time were period like cramps and I was 5 days late on my period, but because of the harsh cramping I was so confused. Anyways I eventually realized I was pregnant and after researching I found out that some women will feel uterine or round ligament stretching in the first few weeks of pregnancy. They feel exactly like the dull aching horrible period cramps. I have suffered from painful and heavy periods since I was fourteen and these cramps were not the worst the I had experienced. They felt like my cramps after I doctored myself with pain medication. Since they weren't too bad I hadn't taken any pain killers at all (thank God!) I had these cramps for a few more weeks. I didn't have any inkling of nausea and thought I was going to be one of those lucky women who didn't get nausea... well I wasn't one of those lucky women.

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How I Found out I was Pregnant!

This pregnancy was definitely a surprise for us! It is our first. We had not been using protection for several months already as I was having a hard time on my birth control. I started birth control when I was 17 to help control my heavy bleeding and extreme pain during menstruation. I was never satisfied with the results I got taking birth control, but was so relieved to have control over my body and to not have as much pain. But I had come to a point where I was having cramps every single day so I decided to just wean myself off and see how my body would by itself for a change...

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1770 House Meatloaf with Garlic Sauce

Photo and recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

I shall begin by admitting that I hate meatloaf, but I came across this Ina Garten's 1770 House Meatloaf with Garlic Sauce in my Ina Garten Foolproof cook book and it actually appealed to me. Making it is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life because it was SO GOOD! Like, melting to the floor good and the sauce! OMG the sauce! Just make this. Just do it!

I added lots of garlic to the meatloaf itself as well when I sauteed my celery and onions. I also added white wine to the garlic sauce and it was absolutely divine.

I will never make any other meatloaf again and this will definitely be a new favorite in our house!

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How to Have a Natural and Intervention Free Birth

There are a few brave women who have the guts to say, "I'm having a natural birth." The rest of America will then take three steps;

• Chuckle under their breath
• Tell you to your face, "Good luck with that," or, "I thought I would too, but then the labor started!" 
• Proceed to tell you the horror of everything that labor DOESN'T have to be.

There are 4 key steps that you as a mother need to do in order to increase your chances of having a natural and intervention free labor;

• Educate yourself on the unnecessary interventions commonly practiced in the United States.
• Educate yourself on the stages of labor and know the processes of what your body is going to go through.
• Know your rights to deny any procedure or medication in the hospital.
• Have the courage and faith in your body and mind to know that your labor will be absolutely normal and fine.

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